Moore: Colin Thompson's perseverance pays off with a spot on the Carolina Panthers

Colin Thompson would have loved to secure a spot on an NFL team as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Temple in 2017.

But there’s no way he could have fully appreciated Monday’s news that he had made the Carolina Panthers’ 53-man roster if he hadn’t been through such a journey.

Thompson, who went undrafted in 2017, spent eight weeks on the Bears’ practice squad in ’17 after being waived by the Giants earlier that year. He played for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football until the AAF folded in April 2019 and with the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL before the league shut down in March 2020.

“It’s been a four-year grind of getting cut probably a dozen times and leagues folding,” said Thompson during a 33-minute phone interview Tuesday morning. “I appreciate it so much because I understand the struggle. It is so, so hard to make it. It is such a mountain to climb.

“... I was calling Temple football games (on radio at the Linc and I’d look at the) JumboTron that lists the Owls in the NFL and said ‘I can do that. I know I can.’”

Moore: Colin Thompson enjoys abbreviated time in XFL

Signed as a free agent by head coach Matt Rhule, who coached Thompson at Temple, and the Panthers, the Doylestown native was among Carolina’s cuts on Saturday, only to be re-signed Monday as the third tight end, joining starter Chris Manhertz and backup Ian Thomas.

The 26-year-old Thompson was out to lunch in Charlotte on Monday afternoon when agent Warren Schmidt from ProStar Sports called to inform him what had happened.

“It became very emotional for him and I,” Thompson said. “He’s a local guy from Cheltenham I’ve been blessed to work with and has done a lot of work for me. It was a cool moment.”

Thompson thought of the people who have supported him during his NFL quest, such as fiancée Sydney, parents Karen and Dave Thompson and brother Kerry, as well as former Archbishop Wood coaches Steve Devlin, Mike Carey, Jim Gillespie, Chip Ross, ex-weight coach Joe Hallman and others.

He also recalled Rhule asking him a year ago if Thompson was finished playing and would be interested in coaching at Baylor, where Rhule was at the time.

Thompson exchanged text-messages with fellow Wood grad Ryan Bates, who secured a second straight spot on the Bills’ 53-man roster, and numerous others Monday.

Besides tight end, Thompson has been a long snapper and can play on special teams. In today’s NFL, it’s essential for players to bring versatility given the limited number of roster spots on each team.

While Rhule’s familiarity with Thompson helped because the coach knows what Thompson can do, Thompson had to prove he belongs day after day during camp and without the benefit of any preseason games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Training camp is a relentless grind," Thompson said. "It shows if you can play or not. ... This business reveals everything, When I got cut (in the past), I knew why. A lot of really great players are on their couches at home."

Thompson is the fifth former Temple player on the Panthers. Undrafted rookie free agent safety Sam Franklin, undrafted free agent quarterback P.J. Walker and veteran middle linebacker Tahir Whitehead are the others, with receiver Keith Kirkwood on Injured Reserve.

Another local connection for Thompson is defensive assistant Grant Udinski, a Central Bucks West graduate who Thompson regularly works with on the scout team.

“I always go up to him and say ‘What’s up, Doylestown’s finest?’” said Thompson with a laugh.

The 6-foot-4, 257-pound Thompson, who won't be be able to return as offensive coordinator at Lower Cape May (N.J.) Regional, began his collegiate career at Florida before transferring to Temple, where he had 19 catches for 208 yards and a touchdown during three years with the Owls.

The Panthers open the 2020 season Sunday afternoon against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. He doesn’t know if he’ll be on the active roster, but he plans to be as ready as possible if he is.

After living in an extended-stay hotel, Thompson is looking for an apartment in Charlotte. He’s not sure if he should sign for a short term or long term, but he gets that nothing is guaranteed.

“I hope I’m here for 10 years, but it could be 10 days or 10 hours,” said Thompson while taking a break from watching film in a room overlooking Bank of America Stadium. “However long I’m here, I want to make the best of the opportunity.”

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly